Dave Smith head of Sequential Circuits promoted
first informal discussion of an industry standard
synthesizer interface at a 1981 NAMM (National
Association of Music Merchants) meeting. Roland
and Oberhiem sent representatives to talk with
Chet Wood, one of Sequential's chief design
engineers. In a few months there was a larger
discussion group of Sequential, Oberheim, Roland,
Kawai, Korg and Yamaha. ( any others ? jh ) A few
weeks later Dave Smith and Chet Wood presented a paper
at the Audio Engineering Society for an U.S.I.
( Universal Synthesizer Interface ).

At the next NAMM, Jan 1982, a more detailed proposal
was made but there were objections put forth especially
for the needs of controllers and ways to set up synths.
In the summer of 82 the initiative passed to the Japanese
with Sequential as the only American voice. In Sept 1982
a more detailed draft proposal was agreed on and given
the name M.I.D.I. Bob Moog made the announcement in the
Oct issue of Keyboard Magazine. His endorsement carried
great prestige with the industry.

The first demo instruments with MIDI implemented were
shown at the Jan 83 NAMM. Here many others were converted
to get on the bandwagon.
( info fr pp.275-6 of Electronic and Computer Music 2nd
edition. Peter Manning Clarendon Press Oxford 1993 )
( p175 in blue n.book march 1994 )

HISTORY OF MIDI

Oberheim had a parallel interface called "the system"
to interconnect their components in 1980. It is what got
Sequential to come up with an industry wide interface.
Once they saw "the system" they began working on what
became MIDI in a couple of months.
( conversation w/ Scott Gresham-Lancaster &jh march 20 1994 )
( p177 blue notebook)

HISTORY OF MIDI

SEQUENTIAL had proprietary digital port on the Prophet
several years before MIDI.
( conversation between David Doty &jh march 20 94 )
( p177 blue notebook )

HISTORY OF MIDI

Sequential Circuits' Prophet 600 was the first midi
instrument introduced in dec 1982. The Prophet 600 and
Roland Jupiter-6 were connected by midi at jan 1983 NAMM
show.
( p 132 An Introduction to the Creation of Electroacustic
Music by Samuel Pellman Wadsworth Publishing 1994
blue nbook p198 April 20 94 )